Celebrating National Nurses Week: Honoring a Shared Passion

When you look around, you’ll find that nurses are everywhere. Their skillset and education make them chameleons, easily adapting to many different specialties and roles. You might think of them being in doctor’s offices, at a patient’s bedside, or in an emergency room. They can also be found in C-suites, classrooms, transplant centers, or even at LifeShare. No matter where they’re working, the thread that ties all of them back together is the same core desire to help others.

In honor of National Nurses Week, we wanted to take this opportunity to spotlight a few nurses who are instrumental to organ, eye, and tissue donation.

A Passionate Donation Advocate

Rhonda started her nursing career in the intensive care unit (ICU) just before she turned 20. Looking back, she said, “It was a calling for me as much as it was a professional or personal choice.”

As her career progressed, she became interested in the difference she could make as a nurse leader.  She felt she could shape organizational culture and make a broader impact on patient care.

Now, she works as the director of patient care services at Atrium Health Cabarrus where she is able to support multiple teams of nurses across various departments. She also serves as a passionate advocate for organ, eye, and tissue donation.

An experience early in her career sparked Rhonda’s passion for donation. She cared for an old friend who ultimately passed away from complications related to a bone marrow transplant. While it was a crushing experience, the perspective of her friend’s parents stuck with her. “They spoke about the hope the transplant had given them, about the miracle of having a chance that would not have existed without donation.”

Rhonda knew there would always be loss and tragedy in critical care nursing, but donation helped her find hope. She said, “I came to believe that loss is compounded when families are never given the opportunity to consider donation—to find meaning, purpose, and legacy in the midst of their grief.”

That realization inspired Rhonda to get more involved with the cause, “Supporting donation through LifeShare allows me to help foster, even in the face of loss.”

Donation continues to impact Rhonda. After seeing a dear friend pass away and become a donor, Rhonda had the honor of placing a leaf on the hospital’s Legacy Tree in her honor. “Since she stood 6’1” tall in life, I placed her leaf at the very top. That way she could stand tall and proud in recognition of her selfless gift to others.”

She’s proud to say donation has become sort of a family legacy. Her oldest son became a transplant surgeon. She suspects her longstanding passion of the cause might have served as inspiration.

Rhonda put it best, “Donation is not just part of my professional journey— it is woven into my life, my family, and my heart. It is a constant reminder that even through loss, lives can be honored, hope can endure, and legacies can live on.”

A Dedication to Making a Difference

Eli’s career didn’t begin in nursing. He initially earned his degree in elementary education. But, when the economy turned and hiring freezes were put in place, he decided to pursue a new option. “I recognized that a career in healthcare could fulfill a comparable sense of purpose and provide a meaningful impact similar to the field of education,” he said. Eli became an EMT, working in pre-hospital emergency care as a paramedic crew chief for 7½ years.

At the same time, Eli’s wife was working as an emergency department nurse. Seeing her further the care he started as a paramedic motivated Eli to pursue a nursing degree.

Eli’s commitment to patient-centered care followed him throughout his career, always seeking jobs that would allow him to make the biggest difference. “What I value most about the nursing profession is its adaptability across multiple specialties,” he said. Eli’s nursing education offered him a strong foundation of knowledge that he uses in his current role at LifeShare.

During his time in the emergency department, he interacted with a LifeShare teammate over the phone. That conversation introduced Eli to the world of donation and the passion many LifeShare teammates have for their work. That quick interaction piqued his interest.

Now, he works as an organ recovery supervisor for LifeShare Carolinas. He leads a team responsible for managing the care of organ donors in the days before the organ recovery surgery.

Throughout his career, Eli’s passion for helping others has remained. That passion drives the work he does today, “I am just happy to play a role that makes a difference in someone's selfless sacrifice.”

A Desire to Help Others

Erin enjoys nursing because of the connection with her patients. As a transplant nurse, she’s able to see her patients through the entire journey from hurt to healing. “Those relationships stay with you. It’s not just about the care you provide in the moment. It’s about being part of someone’s story, and that’s something really special.”

Erin’s been a liver transplant coordinator for 15 years, a role she never expected to be in when she began her nursing career. She started in the medical surgical unit where she learned crucial skills like patient care and time management. When she transitioned into the ICU, she realized her passion for more complex, critical cases. “I’ve always been drawn to helping people ever since I was little, and nursing felt like the perfect way to combine compassion with critical thinking and lifelong learning,” Erin said.

While working in the ICU, Erin often cared for patients who became organ donors which sparked her interest in transplant. She said, “That experience had a huge impact on me and opened my eyes to how powerful transplantation is—not just medically, but emotionally for so many people involved.”

Transplant has followed Erin into her personal life as well. Her uncle, a friend’s daughter, and a close friend have all received organ transplants. “I never imagined transplant would become such a big part of my life, both professionally and personally—but it has, and it’s something I feel deeply connected to every day.”